Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to be such a tease. I do apologize. So many of you responded about the four pictures I sent of our flying adventure in Australia, and wondering when you were going to get the full story. Well, all I can offer by way of an explanation for my tardiness is I managed to digitally overwhelm myself. Isn't the computer age wonderful?!! I came home with somewhere in the vacinity of 900 images between my sister and myself! I couldn't figure out where to start.
Secondly, I intended to put pictures and story together in a chronological script, so that it would be easier to follow. Well, so much for good intentions. I soon found myself in over my head as far as my technological savvy is concerned. So, in order to get out a product, this is the way I propose we proceed. I have selected, and email compressed, some 10 % of the pictures for this travelogue - "Trip of a Lifetime - Again". I am going to do the Narrative here, and attach a .jpg map. If you are capable, PRINT this email out. Then in the next two parts, I will send 50 % each of the pictures. They are not large, so you should be able to load them with a little patience, and then read along, matching printed page to the pictures.
It's the only way I know to go. And if this is too much bother, you know where the DELETE key is; I promise my feelings will not be hurt. And so - here we go:
"TRIP OF A LIFETIME - AGAIN"
DAY 1 - I arrived in Brisbane, Australia on Sunday, May 2, and spent the afternoon adjusting, and walking around town looking for a pub that I had visited eleven years ago. (After a good walkabout, I found the place, all boarded-up and destined for the redevelopment wrecking ball.) NO PICs.
Day 2 - Monday, May 3, Australia Labour Day - I booked a day trip north to Steve Irwin's (The Crocodile Hunter) Australia Zoo. I'm afraid I must say I was a bit disappointed. With all the money he's pulled in from The Animal Planet channel, for my taste, they've gone a little too commercial. A better natural habitat, if you're ever in Brisbane, is the Lone Pine Sanctuary, which we saw on our previous trip. I did get a close-up look, however, at Steve's nemesis, Agro. 10004.jpg (the YYY means it was resized and
compressed)
Day 3 - Tuesday, May 4. This day was spent meeting with our fellow travel pilots/companions, receiving our Australia Civil Aviation credentials, attending prebriefs on the minor regulation differences and flight plans, and flying checkouts in our Cessna 172 aircraft. Flying Time: 0.8 hrs. At dinner, thanks to a tip-off from my sister, I was embarrassed by a surprise Birthday desert - just for me, none for anybody else - I was supposed to gorge myself in front of everyone, but I respectfully declined, feigning watching my diet. NO PICs.
Day 4 - Wednesday, May 5 - Departure Leg: Brisbane to Dalby - Distance: 108 NM - Flying Time: 1.2 / 2.0 hrs. We began the day with our aircraft lined up for inspection, fueled and ready to go. 10006.jpg - I had a few tender moments of encouragement with my plane, VH-SYO. 20026.jpg - In the afternoon, we went to a historic sheep station, called the Jondaryan Woolshed, where we were treated to the obligatory shearing demonstration. 00034.jpg - I was personally more interested in some of the autumn colors, like these eucalyptus blossoms. 00022.jpg - Australia has some 120 varieties of eucalyptus tree, only 4 or 5 of which are suitable to the tastes of the Koala.
Day 5 - Thursday, May 6 (Actually my Birthday) - Departure Leg: Dalby to Charleville - Distance: 274 / 382 NM - Flying Time: 2.9 / 4.9 hrs. - Unique activity of this stop was a visit to the home of an Aborigine craftsman, who treated us to a didgeridoo demonstration. 00061.jpg - He sold a few, and I bought a couple of boomerangs and a bullroarer (if you don't know what that is, you're not up to speed on your Crocodile Dundee movies). We left him a happy man. 00068.jpg
Day 6 - Friday, May 7 - Departure Leg: Charleville to Longreach to Winton -
Distance: 306 / 688 NM - Flying Time: 3.0 / 7.9 hrs. - Enroute in VH-SYO, notice the marked change in the environment as we enter the outback. 0083.jpg - Longreach is the museum home to the first Qantis mail plane (made in Mascot, Sydney N.S.W., our mother's birthplace) 10014.jpg - And the 747 they knew could land, but never take-off. 10015.jpg - Here's a neat view of our five Cessna's from under the nose of the 747. 00085.jpg - This leg ended with an entertaining landing on a dirt strip at Winton. 00087.jpg - Winton is the home of the first performance of the "unofficial" Aussie national anthem, Waltzing Mathilda (and yes, that is "the shade of a coolibah tree"). 00094.jpg
Day 7 - Saturday, May 8 - Departure Leg: Winton to Mt. Isa - Distance: 227 /
915 NM - Flying Time: 2.2 / 10.1 hrs. - This leg featured a flyover pass by the one, the only, the real, honest-to-goodness Walkabout Creek Saloon. 10017.jpg 10113.jpg
Day 8 - Sunday, May 9 - Departure Leg: Mt. Isa to Alice Springs - Distance:
398 / 1313 NM - Flying Time: 3.8 / 13.9 hrs. - There's not much good to say about Mt. Isa, except that it is home to twice-a-day underground ore blasting, and the most boring geologists on the planet! The best part was leaving. 00118.jpg - Within a half hour of my sister's arrival from Ohio (22 hrs. straight), we descend on the sprawling metropolis of Alice Springs. 00133.jpg
Day 9 - Monday, May 10 - Rest Day - Highlights of this stop would include a visit to the Alice Springs Wildlife Park and another kind of Eucalyptus. 00140.jpg - A behavior demonstration of the fan-tailed eagle (whom we would see later on the trip up close at 2000 ft.) 00196.jpg - A visit to the Headquarters of the Royal Flying Doctor. 00247.jpg - A visit to the School of the Air (2004 Class - each teacher must visit their students once per year - notice the two boys way at the top, 2 1/2 days by car - each has a different teacher!) 00250.jpg - And our adopted tree (we cleaned up a mess of litter around the base). 00255.jpg
Day 10 - Tuesday, May 11 - Departure Leg: Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers
Rock) - Distance: 224 / 1537 NM - Flying Time: 3.0 / 16.9 - Takeoff with the balloons. 00265.jpg - For those who know (those who don't, you're better off), Pine Gap. 00277.jpg 10028.jpg - Don't let these "mountains" fool you; at best, they are maybe only 4000 ft. 00295.jpg - Those who have seen the Meteor Crater in Arizona will think this is it; NOT. 00303.jpg - An interesting, dry billabong (notice the seasonal striations). 00326.jpg - Forget the politics, this is "The Rock" (incredibly, 15/16ths of it are still UNDERGROUND!). 00326.jpg - Thank God, we weren't forced to rough it. 00332.jpg - People don't believe me when I say "The Rock" changes color right before your eyes; let's see if this convinces you. 00367.jpg 00370.jpg 00372.jpg 10026.jpg - Lastly, another eucalyptus with an absolutely incredible Approach-to-Landing. 00379.jpg
Day 11 - Wednesday, May 12 - Departure Leg: Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Coober Pedy - Distance: 311 / 1848 NM - Flying Time: 3.0 / 19.9 hrs. - Arriving at Coober Pedy, overflying the opal mines (Australia produces 80 % of the world's opals, the majority coming from here). 00420.jpg - In town, the underground church (everything is underground; it's HOT here). 00410.jpg - Here is a tombstone with an interesting story behind it (his three ex-wives got NOTHING). 00414.jpg
Day 12 - Thursday, May 13 - Departure Leg: Coober Pedy to Birdsville -
Distance: 209 / 2057 - Flying Time: 2.6 / 22.5 hrs. - Overflying some wild camel (here's some little known trivia about Down Under: at the close of WWII, instead of shipping them home, the Indian government turned loose some 10,000 camel; they're everywhere in the outback!). 00427.jpg - Last water before the Simpson desert. 00429.jpg - NW edge of the Simpson; now, that's what I call desert. 00433.jpg 10072.jpg - Planes parked on Main St. in Birdsville. 10033.jpg
Day 13 - Friday, May 14 - Departure Leg: Birdsville to Avington Station -
Distance: 281 / 2338 NM - Flying Time: 3.3 / 25.8 - Takeoff from Birdsville.
Day 14 - Saturday, May 15 - Rest Day - Planes parked in the front yard of Avington Station (Aussie word for "Ranch") my room was just left of the bush, left of the planes. 10036.jpg - "Hey Gail, I can play this thing; you just pucker and BLOW". 00498.jpg
Day 15 - Sunday, May 16 - Departure Leg: Avington Station to Clermont to Brampton Island - Distance: 321 / 2659 NM - Flying Time: 3.3 / 29.1 hrs. - On the refueling stop in Clermont, we had the honor to meet a living legend, Sandy Kidd. He's the man who taught the ACAA what they needed to know about the pilot category of "Cattle Drover"; then, they certified him. He's been awarded two civilian Aussie Medals for humanitarian bravery. The dust on his hide and his BS are equally as thick, and at 87 yrs. old, he's still FLYING!
Day 16 - Monday, May 17 - Rest Day - "I'll take butterflies over bats any day" (Reference to a previous trip to the Great Barrier Reef). 00611.jpg - My favorite picture of my sister. 00637.jpg - "Yes, I'll give it a go, as well". 00638.jpg
Day 17 - Tuesday, May 18 - Departure Leg: Brampton Island to Gladstone to Brisbane - Distance: 469 / 3128 NM - Flying Time: 4.9 / 34.0 hrs - Average Speed: 92 mph - Typical of the communities dotted along the Queensland coast. 00679.jpg - Approach for refueling in Gladstone. 00690.jpg Arrival in Brisbane. 00692.jpg - And lastly, ALL HOME SAFELY. 10099.jpg
Gail and I spent a few days with our relatives in Sydney before returning home to the States, but for purposes of mercy, we won't show those. I hope you stayed with me this far and found our adventure somewhat entertaining.
Australia is not only the home of our "roots", it is also one, spectacularly beautiful country. G'Day.
